


first fires

by nni



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Romance, Shakarian - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-08
Updated: 2015-02-08
Packaged: 2018-03-11 00:16:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,268
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3308537
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nni/pseuds/nni
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Did you ever wonder what romancing Garrus would be like in the first game?</p>
            </blockquote>





	first fires

**Author's Note:**

  * For [yorha_9s](https://archiveofourown.org/users/yorha_9s/gifts).



> bear with me, the first chapter is a bit dry because i wanted to start with canon and branch off from there  
> \--  
> this will be a multichapter fic; i don't know what tags to use for this first chapter, but more will be added as the story progresses  
> this first chapter is kinda long, oops

It feels good to be on the Normandy again. Shepard is still getting used to her new position; so much scrutiny and responsibility come with the honor of being the first human Spectre, and not to mention the ship is hers now and it feels so.. strange. It’s the same ship, same crew for the most part (though there are a few new faces present), but being in charge of things is going to take some definite adjusting. She surveys her new quarters, the captain’s cabin, and chuffs softly, raking a hand through her hair. It really is a nice place, as far as military boarding goes. Maybe too nice. The couch is comfortable, if a bit stiff. The bed is infinitely better than what her poor crew is dealing with in their quarters (she would know; earlier today those were her chambers as well).There’s commodities she can’t imagine ever needing, but to some it would probably make the ship feel more like home. Shepard doesn’t really need help with that, though.

She stretches and rises from the sofa. The past few days have been long and trying,and she is thankful for the opportunity to rest, grounded while she settles into her new position and they ready the Normandy for her next voyage, however short that time may be. But it isn’t time for sleep, not just yet, and now seems as good a time as any to get to know her new squadmates. One in particular, the turian, has caught her eye. He seems perhaps a bit brash and overeager, but she could tell when they first met that his skills will prove handy in a fight, and his accuracy is impeccable.

The elevator door slides open and she rides down to the engineering level, where the new recruit

had requested to be stationed. It seems to fit him, all the technology. Quick and clever and precise, the same impression that he had first given her. He hears the elevator and Shepard’s footsteps and turns to her, taking the chance to speak before she can even get her mouth open.

“Thanks for bringing me on board, Commander,” the turian says, nodding. So much for introductions, the thinks, but quirks the corner of her mouth into a smile and nods back. “I knew working with a Spectre would be better than life at C-Sec.”

She tilts her head just slightly, curious as to how he may have come to that conclusion. “Have you

worked with Spectre before?”

“Well, no,” he admits, and shrugs. “But I know what they’re like. Spectres make their own rules; you’re free to handle things your way. At C-Sec, you’re buried by rules. The damn bureaucrats are always on your back.” The pitch of his voice gives away that he might be even more irritated than he’s letting on. Shepard can see that small rebel streak shine through, but Garrus is a good turian and a better soldier, so she does not think just yet that he will have any problem following her orders. She can relate, definitely, but she needs to get a better feel for him before showing him anything more personal.

“For the most part, the rules are there for a reason,” she reminds him, though there are certainly times that they get in the way and she would probably be better off with a bit more freedom. Maybe this new Spectre position will grant her that.

“Maybe..” he concedes with a pause. “But sometimes it feels like the rules are just there to stop me from doing my work. If I’m trying to take down a suspect, it shouldn’t matter how I do it, as long as I do it.” She can feel some of her own frustrations reflected in him. Working with someone who shares the same views makes things easier, and she can’t help but think that it may be useful to have someone nudge her in the right direction, even if that means the rules need to.. bend. “But C-Sec wants it done their way, protocol and procedure come first,” and she can just feel the exasperated sigh in the undertones of his voice. “That’s why I left.”

It is a solid reason, and Shepard finds herself admiring him for his decision. He will be an excellent addition to her team, possibly even replacing Kaidan as her right-hand man, if she proves himself enough. She and Alenko have been through more together than she really cares to remember, but they never have quite seen eye-to-eye. Having someone with such similar thoughts could prove very beneficial indeed.

“So you just quit because you didn’t like the way they do things?” She had meant for that to be more joking, but it sounds harsh and bitter as the words leave her mouth.

“There’s more to it than that,” he counters, less defensive than she would have expected, and she is a bit relieved. “It didn’t start out bad, but as I rose in ranks I got saddled with red tape. C-Sec’s handling of Saren was typical.” She can tell by his tone that she is not the only one who disapproves with how things are being handled in regards to the renegade turian. I just couldn’t take it anymore. I hate leaving.”

He sounds tired and disappointed, and she suppresses the urge to clap her hand on his shoulder and console him; they’ve just met, not yet close enough for her to treat him as one of her own. But she can empathize with him and his desire to see things done differently. “I hope you made the right choice. I’d hate for you to regret it later.” It’s true; as valuable as she thinks he will be and as much as she is looking forward to working with him, she does not want him to regret his decision, or resent her for it, if things do not work out how he has planned.

“Well, that’s sort of why I teamed up with you,” he says, his voice sounding a bit cheerier now. “It’s a chance for me to get off the Citadel, see how things are done outside C-Sec. Either way? I plan to make the most of this. And without C-Sec headquarters looking over my shoulder.. well maybe I can get the job done my way for a change.”

“If getting the job done means endangering innocent people, then no.” As much as Garrus’ words have appealed to her so far, Shepard still needs to remind them both that she is in fact in charge, and that, while she may not always agree with the “red tape,” she does have some rules- no, standards of her own. He doesn’t seem like the type to needlessly endanger innocents, but.. she does barely know him. “We get the job done right, not fast. Got it?”

“I wasn’t trying to-” he cuts himself off, and it seems obvious to her that he has been thinking the same things that she has, because the sound of his voice tells her that he is afraid he has met with her disapproval, and that that is not something he wants. “I understand, Commander. Probably trying not to step on any more toes, he solemnly turns and resumes inspecting the Mako that Shepard often takes on ground missions with questionable atmospheric conditions.

She starts back toward the elevator, smirking slightly to herself. That may not have gone exactly as planned, but it definitely could have been much worse, and despite a few bumps they seem to be off on the right foot.

**Author's Note:**

> work title based on the song "first fires" by bonobo  
> chapter title based on the song "your ex-lover is dead" by stars


End file.
